Switched-capacitor band-pass filter of a discrete-time type, in particular for cancelling offset and low-frequency noise of switched-capacitor stages

ABSTRACT

A band-pass filter made up by an operational amplifier and by an input circuit. The input circuit is formed by a capacitive filtering element, connected to the input of the operational amplifier; a coupling switch, coupled between an input node and the capacitive filtering element; a capacitive sampling element, coupled between the input of the filter and the input node; and a sampling switch, coupled between the input node and a reference-potential line. The coupling switch and the input sampling switch close in phase opposition according to a succession of undesired components sampling and sensing steps, so that the capacitive sampling element forms a sampler for sampling the undesired component in the undesired components sampling step, in the absence of the component of interest, and forms a subtractor of the undesired components from the input signal in the sensing step.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a switched-capacitor band-pass filter of a discrete-time type, in particular for cancelling offset and low-frequency noise of switched-capacitor stages. For example, the present band-pass filter can be used in the control loop for driving capacitive gyroscopes made using MEMS technology.

2. Description of the Related Art

As is known, the use of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) has become increasingly widespread in various sectors of technology and has yielded encouraging results especially in the construction of inertial sensors, microintegrated gyroscopes, and electromechanical oscillators for a wide range of applications.

MEMS of this type are usually based upon micro-electro-mechanical structures comprising at least one mobile mass connected to a fixed body (stator) through springs and mobile with respect to the stator according to preset degrees of freedom. The mobile mass is moreover coupled to the fixed body via capacitive structures (capacitors). The movement of the mobile mass with respect to the fixed body, for example on account of an external stress, modifies the capacitance of the capacitors; the variation of capacitance can be exploited to detect the relative displacement of the mobile mass with respect to the fixed body and thus the applied force. Vice versa, by supplying appropriate biasing voltages, it is possible to apply an electrostatic force to the mobile mass to set it in motion. In addition, to produce electromechanical oscillators, the frequency response of the inertial MEMS structures is exploited, which is typically of a second-order low-pass type.

Many MEMS (in particular, all the electromechanical oscillators and gyroscopes) envisage a driving device, which has the task of maintaining the mobile mass in oscillation.

Consequently, a driving system is provided, which controls in a precise way the movement of the mobile mass and includes a sensing amplifier operating in discrete-time mode. In order for the driving system to operate correctly with the desired precision level, it is useful to eliminate the offset of the sensing amplifier, as well as the so-called “flicker noise” or “1/f noise”, at low frequency, due, as is known, to random capture and release of charge carriers. In order not to interfere in the driving loop, filtering of the noise should not introduce phase shifts in the signal.

The same desires are also shared by other types of circuits, which would benefit from a discrete-time band-pass filtering, without the introduction of any phase shift.

In order to eliminate the offset of a micromechanical structure, derivative filters are normally used in the case of a continuous-time read chain; alternatively, a factory calibration is exploited. These solutions, in the case of drifts in the self-oscillation frequency of the mechanics due to ageing or temperature, do not enable a constant phase shift to be maintained, since the position of singularities, and thus the phase shift introduced at the frequency of interest, depends upon these parameters.

In literature, systems have been proposed using chopping techniques, which include a high-frequency offset modulation, filtering, and demodulation. These solutions require, however, a complex signal processing and are not able to offer a good control of the introduced phase shift.

BRIEF SUMMARY

One embodiment is a band-pass filter capable of solving the problems that afflict known systems, in particular eliminating the offset and attenuating the flicker noise of the preceding stage up to frequencies higher than the frequency of the signal of interest.

According to the present disclosure, a switched-capacitance band-pass filter and a corresponding method of operation are provided, as defined in claims 1 and 11, respectively.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the present disclosure, preferred embodiments thereof are now described, purely by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a first embodiment of the present band-pass filter;

FIG. 1 a shows the plot of control signals used in the circuit of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of a second embodiment of the present band-pass filter;

FIG. 2 a shows the plot of control signals used in the circuit of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 3 a-3 c show the circuit of FIG. 2 in three different operating steps;

FIGS. 4 a and 4 b show two simulations regarding the circuit of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of a charge amplifier connected to the filter of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a filter 1 of a switched-capacitor double-ended band-pass type, which uses the correlated-double-sampling technique at its input.

The filter 1 comprises an operational amplifier 2 having an inverting input 2 a, a non-inverting input 2 b, a non-inverting output 2 c, and an inverting output 2 d. Furthermore, the outputs 2 c and 2 d form the outputs of the filter 1, and the two inputs 2 a, 2 b are at virtual ground.

A first feedback branch 3 a is connected between the inverting input 2 a and the non-inverting output 2 c; a second feedback branch 3 b is connected between the non-inverting input 2 b and the inverting output 2 d.

The feedback branches 3 a and 3 b are equal and comprise a first feedback capacitor C_(a), connected between the respective input 2 a, respectively 2 b, and the respective output 2 c, respectively 2 d; and a second feedback capacitor C₂, connected in parallel to the first capacitor C_(a) through a pair of feedback switches 4 controlled by a same first phase signal Φ₁. In addition, the second capacitor C₂ can be by-passed through a by-pass switch 5, which is controlled by a second phase signal Φ2, in phase opposition with respect to the first phase signal Φ₁, and enables reset of the second feedback capacitor C₂, eliminating part of the charge injected during the phase Φ₁, and thus determining the position of the pole of the high-pass filtering.

Furthermore, the inputs 2 a and 2 b of the operational amplifier 2 are connected to a first input branch 6 a, and a second input branch 6 b, respectively, which are equal. In detail, each input branch 6 a, 6 b comprises a filtering capacitor C₁ having a first terminal directly connected to the respective input 2 a and 2 b of the operational amplifier 2 and a second terminal connected to a node 10 through a coupling switch 11 controlled by the first phase signal Φ₁; an input sampling capacitor C_(s) connected between the node 10 and a respective input 15 a, respectively 15 b, of the filter 1; and an input sampling switch 16, arranged between a respective node 10 and a common-potential line 17 (at a common-mode potential) and controlled by the second phase signal Φ2.

The transfer function of the filter 1 can be calculated as described hereinafter.

Consider initially the circuit 18 enclosed by the dashed line and formed by the operational amplifier 2, single-ended (the input 2 b is connected to common mode and no output 2 d is present), just the first feedback branch 3 a, the filtering capacitor C₁, and the coupling switch 11 of just the first input branch 6 a. These components form a single-ended high-pass filter. In the circuit 18, in a first step, referred to also as read or sensing step, the first phase signal Φ₁ is active and the second phase signal Φ2 is inactive and, in a second step, referred to also as undesired-components sampling step, the first phase signal Φ₁ is inactive and the second phase signal Φ2 is active.

In the sensing step, the capacitors C₁, C₂, and C_(a) store a charge Q₁, while in a second step, the capacitors C₁, C_(a) store a charge Q₂, with Q ₁ =C ₁ V _(in)+(C ₂ +C _(a))V _(out) Q ₂ =C ₁ V _(in) z ⁻¹ +C _(a) V _(out) z ⁻¹

By applying the charge-conservation principle to the capacitors and equating the stored charges Q₁ and Q₂, the transfer function T_(HP)(z)=V_(out)/V_(a) is obtained:

${T_{HP}(z)} = {\frac{- C_{1}}{C_{2} + C_{a}} \cdot \frac{1 - z^{- 1}}{1 - {\left( \frac{C_{a}}{C_{2} + C_{a}} \right)z^{- 1}}}}$ which is also the transfer function of the fully differential double-ended high-pass filter, obtained considering also the second feedback branch 3 b, the filtering capacitor C₁, and the coupling switch 11 of the second input branch 6 b.

The input sampling capacitors C_(s) have the purpose of sampling and storing the undesired components (input offset, flicker noise and/or possible noise of any other type at low frequency, where “low frequency” indicates a much lower frequency, for example by one order of magnitude, than the switching frequency of the phase signals) during the second step and of cancelling it during the first step. This introduces, on the useful signal, a low-pass type filtering and an attenuation. In fact, by computing the charge balance at node 10, the following transfer function T_(LP)(z) between V_(in) and V_(a):

${T_{LP}(z)} = {\frac{C_{S}}{C_{1} + C_{S}} \cdot \frac{1}{1 - {\left( \frac{C_{1}}{C_{1} + C_{S}} \right)z^{- 1}}}}$

The overall transfer function T_(BP)(z) of the filter 1 derives from the combination of the transfer functions T_(HP)(z) and T_(LP)(z):

$\begin{matrix} {{T_{BP}(z)} = {{{T_{LP}(z)} \cdot {T_{HP}(z)}} = {\frac{{- C_{1}}C_{S}}{\left( {C_{1} + C_{S}} \right)\left( {C_{a} + C_{2}} \right)}\frac{1 - z^{- 1}}{\left( {1 - {\left( \frac{C_{1}}{C_{1} + C_{S}} \right)z^{- 1}}} \right)\left( {1 - {\left( \frac{C_{a}}{C_{a} + C_{2}} \right)z^{- 1}}} \right)}}}} & (1) \end{matrix}$

By applying the bilinear transformation

$f = {\frac{f_{ck}}{\pi} \cdot \left( \frac{1 - z_{p}}{1 + z_{p}} \right)}$

the position of the singularities of the continuous-time equivalent of the filter 1 is:

f_(z) = 0 $f_{p\; 1} = {\frac{f_{ck}}{\pi} \cdot \left( \frac{C_{2}}{{2C_{a}} + C_{2}} \right)}$ $f_{p\; 2} = {\frac{f_{ck}}{\pi} \cdot \left( \frac{C_{S}}{{2C_{1}} + C_{S}} \right)}$

In practice, in the undesired-components sampling step, when the first phase signal Φ₁ is inactive and the second phase signal Φ₂ is active, the sampling capacitors C_(s) store the undesired components on the inputs 15 a, 15 b. In this step, the filtering capacitors C₁ hold the signal of interest, since the coupling switches 11 are open and the nodes A of the filtering capacitors C₁ are floating. In the next read or sensing step, when the first phase signal Φ₁ is active and the second phase signal Φ₂ is inactive, the signal of interest is supplied to the filtering capacitors C₁, and the undesired components are subtracted by the sampling capacitors C_(s). In this step, the nodes A are biased through the input sampling capacitors C_(s) by charge sharing. Consequently, in neither of the two steps are the nodes A directly connected to the common-potential line 17; this prevents the signal of interest stored on the filtering capacitors C₁ from being cancelled.

In practice, the signal of interest and the undesired components on the input (offset of the preceding stage and flicker noise) are treated differently. In fact, the signal of interest, which is supplied only in the sensing step, sees a band-pass filter (for example, in the case of a control loop for driving a gyroscope, with passband of approximately 400 Hz to 40 kHz, necessary for maintaining the loop in oscillation), and the undesired components, present also in the undesired-components sampling step, see a high-pass filter (in the considered case, for example with lower limit of the band at approximately 20 kHz).

FIG. 2 shows a filter 100 that further enables elimination of the offset and of the flicker noise of the band-pass filter, and uses a third phase signal Φ_(R) (referred to also as reset signal), which commands a reset step.

The filter 100, in addition to the components of the filter 1 of FIG. 1, comprises a pair of output sampling capacitors C_(cds), each connected between a respective output 2 c, 2 d of the operational amplifier 2 and a respective output terminal 100 a, 100 b of the filter 100. In addition, an output reset switch 101 is arranged between the outputs 2 c, 2 d of the operational amplifier 2 and is controlled by a reset signal Φ_(R), the time plot whereof is shown in FIG. 2 a. Two output sampling switches 102 are arranged between a respective output 100 a, respectively 100 b, of the filter 100 and the common-potential line 17 and are controlled by the second phase signal Φ₂. Two input reset switches 103 are arranged between a respective input 15 a, respectively 15 b of the filter 100 and the common-potential line 17.

In FIG. 2, in order to prevent the first feedback capacitors C_(a) (which store the signal of interest) from being discharged during offset and sampling, instead of the feedback switches 4 a single insulation switch 104 is provided in series to each first feedback capacitor C_(a).

Operation of the filter 100 of FIG. 2 will now be explained with reference to FIGS. 3 a, 3 b, and 3 c, which regard respectively the reset step, the undesired-components sampling step, and the sensing step. In particular, during the reset step (FIG. 3 a), the reset signal Φ_(R) and the second phase signal Φ₂ are high and the first phase signal Φ₁ is low. Consequently, the switches 101-103, 16 and 5 are closed, the switches 11 and 104 are open, and the input sampling capacitors C_(s) and the output sampling capacitors C_(cds) are completely discharged.

During the undesired-components sampling step (FIG. 3 b), the second phase signal Φ₂ is high, the reset signal Φ_(R) and the first phase signal Φ₁ are low, and thus the switches 16, 5, and 102 are closed and the switches 103, 11, 104 and 101 are open. Consequently, the low-frequency undesired input component V_(n) (typically due to the offset of the preceding stage and to the flicker noise) is stored as V_(n1) and V_(n2) on the input sampling capacitors C_(s), and the low-frequency undesired output component V_(nAMP1), V_(nAMP2) (due mainly to the offset of the operational amplifier 2) is stored on the output sampling capacitors C_(cds). In the undesired-components sampling step, as in the preceding reset step, the first feedback capacitors C_(a) are insulated from the rest of the circuit and thus do not lose the signal stored, preventing the transfer function of the filter from being altered.

During the sensing step (FIG. 3 c), the first phase signal Φ₁ is high, the reset signal Φ_(R) and the second phase signal Φ₂ are low, and thus the switches 104 and 11 are closed and the switches 16, 5, and 101-103 are open. Consequently, by appropriately sizing the filter, the undesired d.c. and low-frequency components are subtracted (practically, they are filtered out) and the signal V_(i) downstream of the input sampling capacitors C_(s) is no longer affected by the undesired components V_(n). In addition, in this same step, the useful signal V_(i) thus obtained is sampled, filtered, and immediately outputted as V_(out), without undergoing any delay.

Operation of the filter 100 was simulated at a frequency f_(ck)=164 kHz, and the transfer function was obtained, having the plot vs. frequency shown in FIGS. 4 a and 4 b, relative to magnitude and phase, respectively. As may be noted, the filter 100 shows a zero in the origin, a first pole at f_(p1)=400 Hz and a second pole at f_(p2)=40 kHz; the useful signal of the filter 1 has a frequency f_(s)=4 kHz.

The filter 100 of FIG. 2 can be used to eliminate the offset and the flicker noise of a charge amplifier 20 arranged upstream of the filter 100, as shown in FIG. 5. The charge amplifier 20, of a switched-capacitor discrete-time type, has inputs respectively connected to a first feedback reading terminal 21 a and to a second feedback reading terminal 21 b.

The charge amplifier 20 comprises a fully differential operational amplifier 37 in charge-integrator configuration, with integration capacitors 38 arranged between a respective input and a respective output, and an output reset switch 43, controlled by the reset signal Φ_(R). Alternatively, instead of the output reset switch 43, the reset switches 103, shown in FIG. 2, may be provided.

During the reset step, the output switch 43 is closed. In this way, the nodes of the operational amplifier 37 are fixed to the common-mode voltage V_(CM) and, as described with reference to FIG. 3 a, the input sampling capacitors C_(s) are discharged.

In the undesired-components sampling step, the output reset switch 43 is open and the undesired low-frequency components are stored on the input sampling capacitors C_(s).

Next, in the sensing step, the reading signal V_(R) across the inputs 21 a, 21 b of the charge amplifier 37 is amplified and supplied to the filter 100, which suppresses the undesired components, as above described with reference to FIG. 3 b.

The band-pass filter described herein presents numerous advantages.

In particular, it enables elimination of the undesired d.c. and low-frequency components by precisely controlling the introduced phase shift. This is particularly advantageous in the case of use in a gyroscope driving control loop and in all the circuits where it is important not to modify the phase of the signal.

The present band-pass filter enables filtering of disturbance up to a higher frequency than the working one. For example, in prototypes obtained by the applicant, it is capable of filtering the 1/f noise up to 10-20 kHz, with a working frequency of 4 kHz.

In addition, in the described filter, the positions of the pole and of the zero are directly linked to the frequency of the phases f_(ck), as appears clearly from Eq. (1), and shift as the frequency of oscillation varies, maintaining their own relative position with respect to the signal to be processed. This is particularly advantageous in the case of use in the gyroscope driving control loop, where the phases are generated by exploiting a self-oscillation of the electromechanical system, the resonance frequency whereof can vary from piece to piece on account of the spread of the production process and of ageing. With the present band-pass filter, variations of the oscillation frequency due to process spread, temperature variations, and ageing are recovered by shifts of the singularities of the transfer function of the filter. Frequency and phase shift are consequently well controlled.

Finally, it is clear that modifications and variations may be made to the filter described and illustrated herein, without thereby departing from the scope of the present disclosure, as defined in the attached claims. For example, the solution described is also applicable to a single-ended structure.

The various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. All of the U.S. patents, U.S. patent application publications, U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patent applications and non-patent publications referred to in this specification and/or listed in the Application Data Sheet are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety. Aspects of the embodiments can be modified, if necessary to employ concepts of the various patents, applications and publications to provide yet further embodiments.

These and other changes can be made to the embodiments in light of the above-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, the claims are not limited by the disclosure. 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A filter, comprising: a first input configured to receive a time-discrete signal formed by a first component and by an undesired component; a first output; an operational amplifier having a first input and a first output, the first output of the operational amplifier being coupled to the first output of the filter; a first input branch including: an input node; a filtering element coupled between the first input of the operational amplifier and the input node; and an input sampling element coupled between the first input of the filter and the input node, the input sampling element being configured to sample the undesired component in an undesired component sampling step, in absence of the first component, and subtract the undesired component from the time-discrete signal in a sensing step.
 2. A filter according to claim 1, comprising: a first feedback capacitive element coupled between the first input and the first output of the operational amplifier; a second feedback capacitive element coupled in parallel to the first feedback capacitive element; and a first decoupling switch configured to decouple the first and second feedback capacitive elements from each other in the sensing step.
 3. A filter according to claim 2, wherein the first decoupling switch is arranged between a first terminal of the first feedback capacitive element and a first terminal of the second feedback capacitive element.
 4. A filter according to claim 2, wherein the first decoupling switch is arranged between the first feedback capacitive element and the first input or the first output of the operational amplifier.
 5. A filter according to claim 1, further comprising a first correlated double-sampling circuit including: an output sampling capacitive element coupled between the first output of the operational amplifier and the first output of the filter; an output sampling switch arranged between a first terminal of the output sampling capacitive element and a reference potential line; and an output reset switch coupled to a second terminal of the output sampling capacitive element and the reference potential line, the output sampling switch being configured to close during the undesired component sampling step and the reset switch being configured to close in a reset step at a beginning of the undesired component sampling step.
 6. A filter according to claim 5, wherein the operational amplifier is a fully differential amplifier and comprises a second input, a second output, and a second correlated double-sampling circuit coupled to the second output of the operational amplifier, the output reset switch being coupled between the first and second outputs of the operational amplifier.
 7. A filter according to claim 5, further comprising an input reset switch coupled between the first input of the filter and the reference potential line and configured so as to close in the reset step.
 8. A filter according to claim 7, wherein the operational amplifier is a fully differential amplifier and comprises a second input and a second output, the filter further comprising: a second input branch coupled between the second input of the filter and the second input of the operational amplifier; and a further reset switch being coupled between the first and second inputs of the filter.
 9. A filter according to claim 1, wherein the operational amplifier is a fully differential amplifier.
 10. A filter according to claim 1, wherein: the input sampling element includes: an input sampling capacitive element coupled between the first input of the filter and the input node; and an input sampling switch coupled between the input node and a reference potential line; and the filtering element includes a filtering capacitive element and a coupling switch coupled together between the first input of the operational amplifier and the input node.
 11. A time-discrete switched capacitor circuit, comprising: a switched capacitor discrete amplifier having an output; and a filter that includes: a first input coupled to the output of the discrete amplifier and configured to receive a time-discrete signal formed by a first component and by an undesired component; a first output; an operational amplifier having a first input and a first output, the first output of the operational amplifier being coupled to the first output of the filter; a first input branch including: an input node; a filtering element coupled between the first input of the operational amplifier and the input node; and an input sampling element coupled between the first input of the filter and the input node, the input sampling element being configured to sample the undesired component in an undesired component sampling step, in absence of the first component, and subtract the undesired component from the time-discrete signal in a sensing step.
 12. A circuit according to claim 11, wherein the discrete amplifier is a charge amplifier.
 13. A circuit according to claim 11, wherein the filter includes: a first feedback capacitive element coupled between the first input and the first output of the operational amplifier; a second feedback capacitive element coupled in parallel to the first feedback capacitive element; and a first decoupling switch configured to decouple the first and second feedback capacitive elements from each other in the sensing step.
 14. A circuit according to claim 13, wherein the first decoupling switch is arranged between a terminal of the first feedback capacitive element and a terminal of the second feedback capacitive element.
 15. A circuit according to claim 13, wherein the first decoupling switch is arranged between the first feedback capacitive element and the first input or the first output of the operational amplifier.
 16. A circuit according to claim 11, wherein the filter includes a first correlated double-sampling circuit including: an output sampling capacitive element coupled between the first output of the operational amplifier and the first output of the filter; an output sampling switch arranged between a first terminal of the output sampling capacitive element and a reference potential line; and an output reset switch coupled to a second terminal of the output sampling capacitive element and the reference potential line, the output sampling switch being configured to close during the undesired component sampling step and the reset switch being configured to close in a reset step at a beginning of the undesired component sampling step.
 17. A circuit according to claim 16, wherein the operational amplifier is a fully differential amplifier and comprises a second input, a second output, and a second correlated double-sampling circuit coupled to the second output of the operational amplifier, the output reset switch being coupled between the first and second outputs of the operational amplifier.
 18. A circuit according to claim 16, wherein the filter includes an input reset switch coupled between the first input of the filter and the reference potential line and configured so as to close in the reset step.
 19. A circuit according to claim 18, wherein the operational amplifier is a fully differential amplifier and comprises a second input and a second output, the filter further comprising: a second input branch coupled between the second input of the filter and the second input of the operational amplifier; and a further reset switch being coupled between the first and second inputs of the filter.
 20. A circuit according to claim 11, wherein: the input sampling element includes: an input sampling capacitive element coupled between the first input of the filter and the input node; and an input sampling switch coupled between the input node and a reference potential line; and the filtering element includes a filtering capacitive element and a coupling switch coupled together between the first input of the operational amplifier and the input node.
 21. A method for reducing an offset and noise of a filter, the method comprising: receiving at an input of the filter time-discrete signal, formed in a first phase by an undesired component and in a second phase by a first component and the undesired component; sampling the time-discrete signal by decoupling a filtering element from the input of the filter; and storing the undesired component in an input sampling element that is coupled to the input of the filter; subtracting the undesired component from the time-discrete signal by coupling the input sampling element between the input of the filter and the filtering capacitive element; and generating, from the time-discrete signal, a filtered first component at an output of the filter.
 22. A method according to claim 21, further comprising resetting the filter at the beginning of the sampling by decoupling the input sampling element from the input of the filter and discharging the input sampling element. 